The Shortening of the Coagulation Time of the Blood by Irradiated Ergosterol

Abstract

This is a report of further studies on the effect of irradiated ergosterol on the mammalian thrombocyte counts begun by Phillips and Robertson 1 in this laboratory. They found that the thrombocyte count was markedly increased by the administration of irradiated ergosterol. In view of these findings and the results obtained by F. D. Gunn, 2 who produced a distinct rise in the number of thrombocytes by exposing young rabbits to radiations from the mercury vapor lamp, it was reasonable to expect a corresponding decrease in the clotting time.

In our experiments the Sooy and Laurens 3 method was used for counting thrombocytes as described by Phillips and Robertson. 1 For coagulation tests a modification of Boggs' 4 method was used, of which a brief description is here given: A small metal box with a glass bottom was covered by a tightly fitting glass cone. A round drop of blood was placed upon the small end of the cone and quickly inverted into the box. The instrument was placed on the stage of the microscope and the edge of the drop examined with the 16 mm. objective. A small stream of air was then directed on the edge of the drop at 15 second intervals. Instead of blowing directly into the chamber as described by Boggs, the air was passed through a wash bottle that was immersed in a water bath to keep the temperature and the humidity of the air constant. Coagulation was assumed to be completed when the corpuscles moved en masse, and sprang back to their original position.

White rats of various weights and unknown age were selected at random. Ten such rats were fed 3 minims of viosterol∗ daily with a medicine dropper for 9 days.